Corset Corner
THE CORSET CORNER
- HURRAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!
- CORSETS SAVED BY THE MOVIES!
In this installment of The Corset Corner, Big Ruth of B.R. Creations explains how Hollywood's concern for historic detail in its movie wardrobes helped keep an all but extinct corset industry in the public's awareness, and therefore, once again popular!
During the early 1900's the Victorian corset had grown from the waist reducing garment into a figure flattering one, extending down to the thighs and limiting a lady's flexibility and ease of movement. As World War one loomed on the horizon in 1914, and the involvement of the United States became imminent, the corset industry made the supreme sacrifice by giving up 14,000 tons of steel to be used in the construction of two battleships!
This event marked the decline of the corset, and was helped by changing social conditions and substitution of synthetic fabrics after the War. Both corsets and other foundation garments were still made well into the 1950's, but the number of companies steadily decreased. Fortunately, the movie industry kept the corset mystique alive and many people today only know of the corset because of the movies. The Corset Newsletter has reviewed many of these movies during its 5 year history, and many of its readers actively search for and find new titles. The most frequent appearances of corsets have been in the Hollywood musical extravanganzas of the 1950's and 1960's.
OKLAHOMA, MEET ME IN ST.LOUIS, ROSEMARIE and TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE are such examples.
WESTERNS are perhaps even more popular for seeing corseted ladies, starring many full-figured actresses of the 1950's. Jayne Russell in THE TALL MEN and THE PALEFACE, Maureen O'Hara chased and spanked by John Wayne in McLintock!, and Rhonda Fleming in TENNESSEE'S PARTNER.
Marilyn Monroe makes a brief corseted appearance in RIVER OF NO RETURN, and Elizabeth Taylor and Eva Marie Saint are superbly corseted under their gowns in RAINTREE COUNTY.
FOREIGN FILMS use the corset more seductively. Italian and French actresses and films have contributed some very erotic scenes. Sophia Loren in a black leather corset tries to seduce her dentist in the MILLIONAIRESS. She also appears in YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW and DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS. G1NA LOLLOBRIGIDA looks outstanding in FAST AND SEXY and THE DOLLS. CLAUDIA CARDINALE is ravishing in THE LEOPARD and THE LOVE MAKERS, both of early 1960 vintage. French films and actresses include SUZY DELAIR in LADY PANAME, several in THIS IS PARISIAN LIFE, JEANNE MOREAU in THE WOLVERINES, ORNELA MUTI in SWANN IN LOVE, KATRINA BURGER in NANA, and LA NUIT DE VARENNES with HANNA SCHYGULLA.
Adverture films starring attractive actresses are THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY with Lesley Ann Warren, THE GREAT RACE with Natalie Wood and others, WICKED LADY with Faye Dunaway.
Thrillers such as HOUSE OF WAX and THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM show corsets. JAYNE MANSFIELD in IT HAPPENED IN ATHENS, KIM NOVAK in PAL JOEY and the GREAT BANK ROBBERY, JANE SEYMOUR in EAST OF EDEN and SOMEWHERE IN TIME, MIA FARROW and MARY STEENBURGEN in A MIDSUMMERS NIGHT SEX COMEDY and LANA TURNER in THE MERRY WIDOW are a few to watch.
X-rated Pornographic films also have a few corsets in them. In HEARTBREAKER an artist poses his large-breasted model in ultra high heels and tight fitting outfits. LOST EMPIRE features an early catfight where a dark, buxom beauty with thigh-high heeled boots removes her shirt to reveal a studded black leather corset! She also uses a whip and later removes her corset to show a well trained figure! HOUSE OF MILAN videos has used my corsets in MASTER CONTROL, starring Georgia Van Helsing as the mad scientist with Sharon Montgomery as her well built robot slave wearing a tight fitting corset, and wired up to the electric current machine which makes her squirm. In THE TRAP, one model is bound and gagged in the very popular black satin corset with red trim, and looks absolutely beautiful! There are undoubtedly many more exciting movies awaiting discovery, and finding them is half the fun!
B.R. Creations Mountain View. CA 94040
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